Thoughtful musings on various topics by interesting people at Blithewold

Turn over a new leaf…

… and you never know what you might find. If I had to give a reason for why I garden it would have to be because of the new growth on plants. I’m much more … Read more.

What month is this?

The Mayflower (Korean spicebush/Viburnum carlesii) is in bloom along with the tulips – which makes me think it must be May … but there’s snow in the forecast (a very slight chance) for Sunday … … Read more.

More blooms, no waiting

Spring blooms are not queuing up in any kind of orderly succession – they’re storming the gates, pushing and shoving and all shouting at once. The tulips are not waiting their turn for the daffodils … Read more.

Carpe diem

The ‘Ice Follies’ – the first of our daffodils to show their faces have already started to fade. They’re not fading away just yet but the bright yellow trumpet they were born with is a … Read more.

Every day is daffodil day

The daffodils are a little early for their own party. It’s kind of like planning a surprise for someone who decides out of the blue to drop by early just as you’re putting up the … Read more.

Set backs and springs forward

It’s not often that little Rhody makes the national news. By now most of you have probably already heard that we just had a “100 year flood”. (Only we’re not supposed to call it that. … Read more.

Beggars can’t be choosers

I’ll take what I can get bloom-wise right now. I might even go out in the rain and get a little bit excited over a single pink bud on a pretty sorry looking dawn viburnum … Read more.

Welcome to March

Maybe I was too hard on March. Last week, like a miracle, a light switched on during my morning dog-walk. And today dawned with blue skies and sunshine. Maybe March isn’t going to be as … Read more.

Tiptoe through the tulips with me

We scheme and we plan and we cross our fingers and we hope for a succession of blooms and then when everything blooms at once we say “Oh — Wow.”  There’s a brilliant carpet of … Read more.

Stellar weekend

Hey, what’s that thing up there that’s all bright and making me feel kind of warmish? Could it be…? No… I don’t believe it. Yes – it’s true – the sun’s out! Yesterday’s gale dried … Read more.